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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bass — low music
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. current — happening now
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — of water
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — electric
  15. band — a music group
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. band — a ring
  20. bound — certain
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bound — obliged

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com